biomon

Two devices, one place

Can you wear Fitbit Air and Apple Watch together?

Updated · 6 min read

Google HealthWrites to Apple Health
Apple WatchWrites to Apple Health
Apple HealthRanks your sources
biomonReads Apple Health
  • Steps
  • Cardio
  • Heart
  • Sleep
Google Health and Apple Watch both send data to Apple Health. Biomon reads Apple Health.

Short answer

Yes, one on each wrist. Link Google Health to Apple Health, then choose which device Apple Health uses first for sleep, steps and heart rate.

You can wear Google Fitbit Air on one wrist and Apple Watch on the other. Apple Health, the Health app on your iPhone, can then take data from both, through the Google Health app for Fitbit Air, and you set which one takes priority for each data type.

See the 8 steps

Where to wear each device

Google asks you to wear Fitbit Air on top of your wrist, behind your wrist bone, with its sensor in constant contact with your skin. Apple asks you to wear Apple Watch above the wrist bone, towards your elbow, with its back against your skin for the heart sensors. Google gives this advice for the most accurate tracking, and Apple gives its advice for best results. These pages do not cover wearing both devices. One on each wrist gives each device the spot that its maker describes. One member on r/fitbit wears Fitbit Air on the right wrist and Apple Watch on the left.

How you wear them What you keep What you give up
Both, day and night Data from each device for the types in the table below You charge Apple Watch before bed: Apple asks for at least 30% charge for sleep tracking
Apple Watch by day, Fitbit Air at night Apple Watch's data by day, and sleep from Fitbit Air, which Google rates at up to 7 days of battery Fitbit Air's data by day, and Apple Watch's sleep and sleep stages on those nights

What each device sends to Apple Health

Google lists what Google Health can write to Apple Health. Its list is not specific to Fitbit Air.

Data type Google Health can write Apple Watch
Steps Steps Steps
Sleep Sleep sessions and sleep stages Sleep, when Sleep Tracking is on, and estimated time in REM, Core and Deep stages
Heart rate Heart rate and resting heart rate Periodic heart rate measurements, sent automatically
Workouts Exercise and active calories burned Exercise sessions, on Google's list of Apple Watch data
HRV (heart rate variability) Not on Google's list of data that Google Health writes On Google's list of Apple Watch data, on supported models

Steps

  1. In Google Health, tap Connections at the top left. Tap Fitbit Air. Tap Device preferences. Tap Wrist preference. Choose Dominant or Non-dominant: Google asks that this setting match the wrist that you wear Fitbit Air on.
  2. At the top left, tap Connections then Apps and services. Under Add connections, tap Apple Health. Tap Get started. On the page titled Sync Google Health with Apple Health, tap Agree.

    Step 2

    Where to tap

    1. Connections
    2. Apps and services
  3. Tap Turn All Categories On, or tap the checkbox beside each data type that you want. Tap Allow. On the confirmation page, tap Done.
  4. If you wear Apple Watch to bed, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. Tap My Watch then Sleep. Turn on Sleep Tracking.

    Step 4

    Where to tap

    1. My Watch
    2. Sleep
  5. Open Apple Health. Tap the Profile button in the upper corner. Under Privacy, tap Apps then Google Health. Turn on permission for each data type that you want Google Health to write to Apple Health or read from it. Use this page to check or change what you allowed in step 3.

    Step 5

    Where to tap

    1. Apps
    2. Google Health
  6. In Apple Health, tap Browse then Sleep then Sleep. Scroll down. Tap Data Sources & Access: the list of apps and devices that write this data type, in order of priority. Apple says only the sources that contribute to this data type appear. If Google Health is not in the list, see "Fitbit Air data is missing from Apple Health" below.

    Step 6

    Where to tap

    1. Browse
    2. Sleep
    3. Sleep
  7. Tap Edit. Touch and hold the Change Order button next to the source that you want first. Drag it to the top. Tap Done. Google Health is the source to move for Fitbit Air's data. Put first the device that you wear for that data type, such as the one that you wear to bed for Sleep. If you wear both for that data type, the Google and Apple pages cited here do not say which to put first, so put first the device whose numbers you want Apple Health to use.
  8. Do steps 6 and 7 for Steps, at Browse then Activity then Steps, and for Heart Rate, at Browse then Heart then Heart Rate. The list for Steps can also show your iPhone: Apple names iPhone among the sources, and one member on r/fitbit asks whether to put iPhone or Google Health first. Put your iPhone below the device whose steps you want Apple Health to use.

    Step 8

    Where to tap

    1. Browse
    2. Activity
    3. Steps

    or

    Where to tap

    1. Browse
    2. Heart
    3. Heart Rate

If it still doesn't work

  • Apple Health shows the other device's numbers

    Apple puts each new source at the top of the list automatically, so check the order again after you link Google Health. Do steps 6 to 8.

  • Fitbit Air data is missing from Apple Health

    Check the permissions from step 5. After a reinstall of Google Health, Google says you must link Apple Health again: do steps 2 and 3. For more fixes, see Why is Google Health not syncing to Apple Health?

  • Apple Health shows no Activity data, such as steps, from Apple Watch

    Apple says Apple Watch can track your Activity automatically, and asks you to turn on Fitness Tracking. In Apple Health, tap the Profile button. Tap Devices. Tap your Apple Watch. Tap Privacy Settings. Turn on Fitness Tracking.

  • No Google Health sleep score after a night on Apple Watch

    Google says it currently uses only first-party data to calculate your sleep score, and it contrasts this with data from third-party apps or devices. Google's page does not name the devices that count as first-party. To check, wear Fitbit Air to bed for one night and look for a sleep score in Google Health.

  • Exercise minutes and Stand hours are not in Google Health

    Google lists them as data that is not yet available in the Google Health app. See exercise minutes in the Activity category of Apple Health instead.

  • HRV from Apple Watch differs between the two apps

    Google says Google Health shows an average value from your overnight sleep, while Apple Health may show values throughout the day. Compare the overnight values.

Why this happens

Apple Watch saves its data to Apple Health directly. Google Health is the app for Fitbit Air, and once you link the two apps, Google says you can share data from Google Health to Apple Health. Google Health also reads your Apple Watch data from Apple Health, so both apps can hold data from both devices.

Questions

Will Apple Health count steps from both devices?

Apple Health gives priority to one source: the one at the top of the list. Google Health and Apple Watch can both send steps to Apple Health, and step 8 sets that order.

Does Google Health show my Apple Watch data?

Yes, once Google Health can read from Apple Health. Google lists steps, sleep duration and stages, exercise sessions and heart rate, and, if your Apple Watch model supports them, vitals such as HRV and blood oxygen.

Does Fitbit Air count toward the Activity rings?

Apple says workouts from compatible third-party apps contribute to your Activity rings. Apple's page does not say whether Google Health is one of them. One member on r/fitbit reported that the rings update only with an Apple Watch.

Sources

  1. 1Get started with Google Fitbit Air, Google Health Help Centersupport.google.com (opens in a new tab)
  2. 2How do I wear my Fitbit device?, Google Health Help Centersupport.google.com (opens in a new tab)
  3. 3How do I use Apple Health with the Google Health app?, Google Health Help Centersupport.google.com (opens in a new tab)
  4. 4Connect third-party devices & apps to the Google Health app, Google Health Help Centersupport.google.com (opens in a new tab)
  5. 5Tech Specs & Battery Life of Google Fitbit Air, Google Storestore.google.com (opens in a new tab)
  6. 6Manage Health data on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
  7. 7Share your data in Health on iPhone, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
  8. 8Wearing your Apple Watch, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
  9. 9Track your sleep on Apple Watch, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
  10. 10Track your sleep on Apple Watch and use Sleep on iPhone, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
  11. 11Intro to Health data on iPhone, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
  12. 12See your activity summary in Fitness on iPhone, Apple Supportsupport.apple.com (opens in a new tab)
  13. 13iOS users / Fitbit Air, which data source do you prioritize in Apple Health?, Reddit r/fitbitreddit.com (opens in a new tab)
  14. 14Fitbit air when your not wearing your Apple Watch, Reddit r/fitbitreddit.com (opens in a new tab)
  15. 15Fitbit on Iphone, Reddit r/fitbitreddit.com (opens in a new tab)
Guides

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Does Fitbit Air work with iPhone?

Yes, through the Google Health app. Pair Fitbit Air there with a Google Account, then link Apple Health (Connections > Apps and services > Apple Health).

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Why is Google Health not syncing to Apple Health?

Google Health writes to Apple Health only from version 5.05. Update the app, then tap Connections > Apps and services > Apple Health and allow each data type.

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